CHURCH AND WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2976, 13 January 1917, Page 3

CHURCH AND WAR

A MODERATOR HOME FROM THE FRONT

THE JOY OF SELF-SACRIFICE. The Moderator <>f the Church of Scotland (Dr. John Brown) preached a striking sermon at St. Columh.a's Church, Londqiu S n a recent Sunday morning (says the "British Weekly"). "Tho Joy of Self-sacrifice" was his subject (Hebrews xii. 2). Vory muck up to date is Dr. Brown's reading. Stephen Graham and Rupert Brooke wero among the authors quoted, and tho first described the joyful self-sacrific6\j)f tho Russian soldier, "a. strong, serious., devout, God-fearing man." Tho Russian soldier, as ono of liis officers told Mr. Graham, fights with tears of jo.v iji liis eyes. Not by a syllable did the Moderator admit that Britain is less capable, of sacrifice than her Eastern i.llv. He praised especially tlio work of women ill spheres of labour .which a few years ago would have been thought totally unfit for them.

By far the most interesting passage was the Moderator's description of his experiences at tho front. 'Ho visited our lines, by invitation of the Comman-der-in-Chief, and in company with Sir George Adam Smith. Both were profoundly impressed hi the magnitude of the work that i§-£jing on, and by tlio marvellous endurance, tho patient, cheerful optimism with which tho soldiers bear tho hardships of their lot. From this point onwards the congregation at St. Columba's listened with strained attention. "The cause of humanity and civilisation," declared the Moderator proudly "is safe in the hands of our soldiers and of their gallant Allies."

Ho described tho men lie saw leaving the Frenches, "covered with mud and at the saino time covered with glory," and tho troojis sent to relievo them in the firing line, "who came swinging along with steady Tesolvod tread, carrying in their hearts the determination that leads to victory." Dr. Brown spoke of tho long lines of transport cars, the vast quantities of munitions ho had seen arriving from this country, the sacrod work done in tho hospitals, and, lastly, tho_ holy sleeping grounds of our dead. Tears were dropping silently as he spoke. The Moderator has liimself lost a brave son in tlie war. On ono simplo cross he had read the inscription, "Peace, perfect peace, with loved, onos far away." Lightly, too, lies tho earth over unknown sleepers. Of them, as of an ancient hero, said the Moderator, it may bo said that "none knowoth of his sepulchre to this day." Wo wero led into wards where the wounded endure their sufferings with a patient, invincible heroism. ' 'Their only thought is 'that they have done their duty. That thought sustains them. To suffer and not to comnlnin seems to bo part of tlio soldier'g creed, and a noble part it is."

Tho Moderators were chiefly engaged among the Scottish, troops, and Dr. Brown described a Communion service hold on the edge of tho abyss. Even as the bread and wino were passing from hand to hand the gunfire opened. Officers and men who shared in that hour the symbols of salvation were preparing to fight and to suffer in tho cause of humanity, the cause for which our Saviour died. "For, those who aro religious out there, their religion is very real." "I am. convinced," added Dr: Brown, "that the men who come home will make religion far more vital te us than it is to-day. They will bring: with . .them., thoir- own atmosphere."' - -

REUCION AND BUSINESS. /ADDRESS BY THE MASTER OF BALLIOL. Master, of Balliol (Mr. A. L. Smith) gave an address on religion and tlio national life in the Sheldonian Theatre recently," reports the '"Guardian." In comparing the New Armies with Cromwell s Army ho said that the latter, ouo of tho finest in history, was collected by conscription and inspired by very definite religious opinions. ovi, he continued, the New Armies are magnificent; thoy are voluntary, and may therefore, according to ono popular theory, be supposed' to fight ..with more enthusiasm; they consist of men whoso omcers cannot praise them enough, and they aro largely pagan. The men behove m and try to practico nil tho Christian virtues, but thoy do not conwith Christianity. "Tho samo fact may bo found among the working classes. A working man may live the noblest of lives and yet deny that ho is a Christian. He has been alienated by what ho takes religion to be. He believes it to he the acceptance ...of. certain . complicated creeds, a certain ecclesiastical organisation, certain rites. In the working classcs and in the Army there is a vast reservoir of religion waiting to be used. The old materialist attitude, duo to the .secularist tone of what was ouoo the new education, to a shallow interpretation of Darwin, and to the supposed conflict, between scienco and roligiou, has passed. There is a growing religious sense. The need is for a great ■representative organisation of the Church in which the working classes can take their place, which might help to win. back the Labour world to Christianity. In the student world also the materialist tendency has given way to a spiritual tendency. "Can Christianity recapture the business world?" asked the Master of Balliol. "Can companies and boards come to have a soul and a conscience? If they cannot, if they become more mechanical, the machine will crush humanity. Economists recognise this, and some insist that tho consumer is partly responsible for business conditions, and can produce a moral effect by the prices lie pays or tho hours at which lie shops. Many firms are trying to remove the difference between Christianity and business—a hopeful sign for the futuro.

"The dangers to us of an honourable peace are that we may be arrogant and self-complacent in victory, and blind to problems and dangers at home. We' must determine never again to waste dur human material as wo do by losing hold of promising boys at tho impressionable age of thirteen. Education must be continued/ the teaching profession adequately paid and held in greater honour. Wo must determine that wo cannot have civil strife between employer and employed."

THE ANCLICAN REVIVAL. ARCHBISHOPS' PLAN FOR REFORMS. As an outcome of tho National Mission, and with a view to make its effect permanent, the 'Archbishops of Canterbury and York propose to appoint live committees of inquiry to report 011 the following matters:— "Methods by which the teaching office of tlio Church may bo more effectively oxerciscd.

"Ways in which public worship can be more directly related to the felt needs of actual life at tho present timo —proposals for prayer book revision and tho opinions and desires of Navy and Army chaplains to be specially taken into account.

"The best methods—in the light of tho mission—of improving and extending evangelistic work.

' 'Church administration reform, with

spccial reference io patronage and endowments.

"How best to commend the teaching of Glirist to tlioso concerned with the problems of industrial life." The reports of some of these committees, the Archbishops hope, will bo ready within six months. Some of the subjects, at least, will demand a much longer time for anything like adequate consideration. ' A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY, Y.M.C.A. WORK. In Pitlochry United. Free Church on a recent Sunday evening the Rev. A. J. Macnicol, B.JJ., who has just returned from a three months' period of duty with the Y.M.C.A. among tho troops in France, gavo ait interesting account of his experiences. Ho emphasised tho immenso value of the work being performed by tho Y.M.C.A. and similar agencies amongst the troops, and said there was a loud call to the Church to go to the help of the boys at the front. It was the duty of all at homo, who lived in comparative comfort, to help this work and to send their ministers where they could be spared—to do without them if necessary, and "oarry on" themselves. Ho believed the future of religion depended upon tho use made of this golden opportunity for reaping a spiritual harvest. Mr. Macnicol stated lip hoped to go out again for another period. Ho also mentioned that tho hut in which he was engaged was provided by Stamford Hill Congregational Church, London, and originated in a. gift of somo ten shillings handed by a boy to the minister, with tho request that it bo used to do something for tho soldiers. Mention of the fact in tho pulpit tho following Sabbath resulted in £800 being raised. SHEFFIELD WESLEYAN MISSION. i HAS SENT 714 MEN INTO THE 1 FORCES. In reviewing tho work of' the year at the Shofiield Wesloyan Mission in the Report for 191G, tho Superintendent, the Rev. George H. says themost significant thing is that the Mission has sent 714 men into tho forces of the King. "We liavo not written off these men as having ceased to belong tt) us," ho adds, "wo have not handed them over to the care of others, chaplains and. the like. We have felt that these men still belonged to us, and that we are responsible for them. Tho view we take is that tho Sheffield Mission now extends from tho Orkneys in the North, right through the camps in' Scotland and England, through the depots and trencheß in France, through the hospitals of Malta, the Expeditionary Forces in the Balkans, through Egypt and Mesopotamia, to India and Burmah, with a branch in East Africa. Our men are to be found on many a ship belonging to ithe Grand Fleet and tho subsidiary Naval Squadrons; they are in every field of war and in every branch of tho serrice. Fifty-two of our men have laid down their lives for their country."